Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

Think bigger.

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

Don't blame the young folks than man the emergency equitment. It starts at the top, with management, training, education and drills on the types of possible incidents that could occur, and I'm sure there are minimum fire/EMS response requirements in place. I would say the management dodged a very big problem (personal injury) in this incident. It will serve as a wake-up to the track staff. Again, it starts at the top for folks that knew....or should have known! I would think that the sanctioning bodies would have a director of safety, and under them someone that would look at all tracks safety programs. I have written several articles on track emergency operations....but they fall on deaf ears. In emergency situations...sometimes you don't get a second chance to get it right! NHRA and IHRA have very good emergency programs at National and Divisonal events. Is a life worth more at one of those? Does'nt that sound kinda stupid.....

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

Wade, I couldn't agree with you more! I had always thought that there was a minimum requirement for Fire and EMS at facilities that were sanctioned by the NHRA or IHRA. Having the right equipment is just part of it, training these first responders is also necessary. Most tracks won't operate unless there is an ambulance with an certified EMS crew present, but usually the only fire protection is a few assorted fire extinguishers in the back of a pickup truck! I guess it depends on where you race.

Lew

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

You aren't serious about your first sentence are you?You say you're a firefighter.
Would you get on a pumper that you know has a non working pump and or hoses with holes in it and go fight a fire?
The numbnuts who are supposed to man that equipment are just as guilty as the
management and whoever sanctions that $hithole.Also the insurance carrier, unless they had the wool pulled over their eyes by the track.

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

Ed, Just because they place you in a fire truck, does not make you a firefighter. Most tracks hire folks that only have an EMT certification. To have an EMT Cert., you must be affiliated with an emergency service ie fire dept, EMS, private amb service, and under the director for that state (normally a doctor). Track operators (most) don't realize that because you're an EMT, that does not mean you are a firefighter. And thus may have no experience with firefighting equitment and/or apparatus. That's why you can't blame a sixteen y/o kid that has got an EMT Certification....but does'nt know the front, from the back of the fire truck. In some jurisdictions FD and EMS are at different locations and different buildings, and are not cross trained. That's why it starts from the top, If the top does'nt have experience in a certian area of race operations (ie emergency operations/safety), he should hire someone to run that portion of the facility. As a program director, you must train subordinates and then monitor their development and/or abilities. Training modules/exercises will provide skills/knowledge and allow the instructor to identify any issues for a focused instruction. Again, several good articles can be found on my site under "racing safety" and "my blog" (click on older posts). When you have an emergency, you need the best and right now!

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

I would bet you could contact the sanctioning body and determine who the insurance carrier is for the track. If the carrier finds out safety procedures are not being followed, they'll pull the endorsement lickety-split. :mad:

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

Ed,
20-30 weekends a season. The west coast is pretty low in humidity so our straps don't rot off too often, Maybe it's different back east? I would probably spend the extra money for a better helmet if I didn't have to throw it away every few years.

Is there a fire extinguisher available for us to have in the car that is small enough to used and not so large as to be a burden?

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

After calming down.....I'll just say this. The reason I stopped racing on the street was because of a 68 pontiac with a 428 I was racing. He wanted to go double or nothing but before he could he needed a "just a second" to re-tie the binder twine around his tie rod end! I was door to door on a two lane road at 130mph beside this only moments before!!

That was my last street race. I race at a track because of the safety not because I'm worried about the law.
Having a non-serviceable ambulance or firetruck at a track is worse than not having one at all as you can't make an informed decision on whether to race or not.

This HAS to be addressed, as funding is not an excuse for lack of safety.

"well ma'am, he was fine after the accident, just his legs were pinned under the dash...then the fire broke out and he burnt to death" WTF???

Unexcusable!

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

I would have to say the track owner is in some serious insurance neglect ,he has to make it right with the racer that lost his car in the fire,hard to watch that video ,,,,,,,,

Re: Race car burnt at Motor Mile Dragway
 

The track should make it right with the racer and improve on all safety measures, but don't demand that the track gets closed. It's bad enough that the track are being pushed politically and finacially to just stay open. If that track closes, think of where is the next place to go race. I raced at West Hampton on L.I., what ambualance and or fire engine, but it was a place to race at. Now that it is closed, and not for safety reasons, the racers now have to venture to N.J. or up state N.Y. to race. I'm lucky now, racing at PBIR, there is always a fire-rescue manned truck waiting to to if needed.

My $.02
Casey Miles
248H Stock?